The first definite dates of when coffee was discovered go back to 800 B.C. The Greek Philosopher Homer tells the story of a mysterious black and bitter beverage with powers of stimulation. The Persian philosopher and scientist Avicenna was also administering coffee as a medicine, around the same time.
Botanists have confirmed that the coffee plant was born in Africa, in an Ethiopian region of (Kaffa). From there it spread to Yemen, Arabia and Egypt, where it developed enormously and become popular.
The story goes that an Ethiopian shepherd, who observed some of his goats eating red-
dish berries from a bush, and subsequently becoming restless and excited. He reported the incident to a monk. The monk later boiled the berries, and then distilled a bitter beverage which was rich in strength, and capable of dispersing sleep and weariness.
The monks found it to be very useful during extended mass and all-night prayers. By the late 1500’s the first traders were selling coffee in Europe, thus introducing the new beverage into European life and custom. Around 1570, coffee made its appearance in Venice along with tobacco. In 1640, the first "coffee shop" opened in Venice. Many Italian towns also adopted the same Venetian habit of serving it in elegant coffee shops. The tradition is still intact today, as evidenced by the several Italian coffee shops on Commercial Drive, in Vancouver.
Ethiopia's coffee ceremony is an integral part of their social and cultural life. An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect and is an excellent example of Ethiopian hospitality. Performing the ceremony is almost obligatory in the presence of a visitor what-ever the time of day. The ceremony can take a few hours – roasting, grinding and brewing are done in the presence of the guests.
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